Transverse cantilever construction for mine or similar rail cars



Aug. 30? 1938. H, w. SANFORD TRANSVERSE CANTILEVER CONSTRUCTION FOR MINE OR SIMILAR RAIL CARS 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6, 1932 WMM/d wir H. W. SANFORD Aug. 30, 1938.

TRANSVERSE CANTILEVER CONSTRUCTION FOR MINE OR SIMILAR RAIL CARS Filed Aug. 6, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 30, 1938 UNITED srarss narrar orrics TRANSVERSE CANTILEVER CONSTRUCTION FOR MINE R SIMILAR RAIL CARS 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of mine or similar rail cars, and is particularly related to the construction of such a car with a cantilever end beam, and stiifened side closure walls adapted to support the overhung weight or side portions of the car and lading, and transfer this weight to the cantilevers.

One of the features of the present invention is the provision of such a construction whereby the space within the car body is free of struts, ties, or other brace members, so that the body is free for loading and discharging.

Another feature of the present invention is the construction of such a car with the elimination of external obstructions in the form of braces or brackets.

Still another feature of the present invention is the construction of suchl a car with a cantilever end beam itself providing a part of the end wall of the car, whereby a stiff structure is produced with low weight.

A still further feature of the present invention is the construction of such a car with an end cantilever beam forming a part of a bumper structure.

A particular feature of the invention is the provision of a car having a rigid traction truck, in conjunction with cantilever extensions beyond the side sills and longitudinal body beams whereby a rigid body frame is produced, in conjunction with top, end and side closure walls.

Mine car construction in accordance with the present invention is illustratively set forth in the accompanying drawings, but it will be understood that the invention is not limited solely to such illustration, but may be applied in many other ways.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, with a portion broken away, showing a car construction according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the construction according to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, on a larger scale, of this form of construction, with a portion broken away to show a wing bottom and side wall in conjunction with a longitudinal body beam, on a larger scale.

Fig. 4 is a view on the same scale as Fig. 3, and substantially on line 4 4 thereof.

In the construction of mine and similar rail cars, it is desirable to have the maximum capacity for the load, with the body free of encumbrances that might hinder or prevent the free loading and discharge of the car. The body members must be supported from the wheels in such a manner that there is no relative sagging or drooping of the parts from end to end or transversely. According to the present invention, means are provided whereby the body and its lading are supported from the wheels by the provision of a rigid traction truck frame comprising side sills and transverse end members. The lading bottoms areconnected to the side sills and include inner lading bottoms extending laterally beyond the side sills so that there is an overhung load. This load is supported from end cantilevers which may comprise lateral extensions of the end beams, so that the overhung load is supported by the side closure walls, which are suitably stiiened for the purpose, and thus transferred to the end cantilevers.

In Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the rails R support the wheels W which are mounted on axles 2i) in opposed pairs. These axles are illustrated as passing through theside sills 2l to support the same. At the ends of the car, the transverse beams 22 rest upon the side sills and are rigidly secured thereto by rivets 23 to provide therewith a rigid traction truck frame. The transverse end beams 22 project beyond the side sills to provide the end portions 22a which operate as cantilevers. In the form of construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the end beams 22are structural L members having horizontal flanges directed away from the body of the car and rest directly upon the side sills 2l.

Located in the same plane with the transverse end beams 22 are the L-shaped longitudinal body beams 24 which are connected to the`transverse beams by corner angles 25 so that the transverse end beams and body beams provide a rigid body frame.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, a stationary central lading bottom 26 is employed, having the upturned lateral flanges 26a secured to the side sills 2 l and cut away by notches 26h (Fig. 4) to provide passage for the axles 20. At the ends, the lading floor 26 has upturned flanges 26e which are secured to the end sheet or curtain 21, extending between the side sills, and secured to the flanges 26e and to the upright legs of the transverse end beams 22.` Since the central lading bottom 26 is located below the plane passing through the tops of the bearing portions at which the axles support the wheels, and indeed entirely below the axles 20, this may be referred to as a sub-axle lading bottom. Wing lading bottoms are also provided, comprising in this illustrative form, the horizontal portions 28 which are secured at their inner edges to the tops of the side sills 2l and extend laterally therefrom in a horizontal plane which intersects the wheels, the wing ylading bottoms being illustratively shown as cut vaway opposite the wheels to provide apertures 28a (Fig. 2) for the wheels. Further, in this illustrative form, the same plate metal which provides the horizontal portion 28 (Fig. 3) and consstitutes a portion of the wing lading bottom, is illustrated as integral with the substantially up- ;fightside closure wall 29 having a stiiening curl or rebent portion 30 at its upper edge. The plate members forming the wing lading bottoms are bent upwardly at the ends of the car to provide flanges 28h which are secured to the laterally extending portions 22a of the end beams: the upright lower portion 21 of the end wall and the ange 26e abut against one another along a vertical line, so that a tight closure and connection of the parts with the transverse end beams 22 is afforded (Fig. 3). The upright side closure wall 29 fits inside and is conformed to the longitudinal body beam 24, so that the wing lading bottom'28 and the closure wall 29 may be rigidly secured to the longitudinal body beam 24 and be supported and stiffened thereby. At the corners, corner angles 3| are provided to secure the upright walls 29 to the end walls 32, which likewise are substantially upright but are outwardly bent at their lower edges to conform to the upright legs of the transverse end beams 22, and are secured rigidly thereto. Thus, the end beam 22 provides a portion of the end closure wall, and the walls 21 and 32 extend below and above these transverse end beams to complete the end closure wall. The stiffening of the side closure walls by the longitudinal body beams 24 permits these side walls to support the entire overhung weight of the wing bottoms and lading and to transfer this load onto the end beams 22, which in turn transfer it to the side sill members 2| and thus to the axles. Therefore, a strong and rigid construction is presented which requires no laterally extending braces, for example, between the side sills and wing bottoms, which Inight interfere with the passage of the car along an obstructive right of way: or transverse internal ties across the body of the car which would interfere with the free loading and discharge of the car.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the clips 35 are connected to the sub-axle central lading bottom 26 and extend upwardly over the axles, to assist in supporting the weight of the central lading bottom directly upon the axles.

In this type of car, the engaging members 3E are provided at each side of the car, below the wing lading bottoms, for engagement with the rails 31, of the dumping structure, which operates for example by rotating the car about a longitudinal axis, whereby to discharge the load.

The apertures 28a in the wing bottoms are closed by hood coveringsI having the arcuate central portions 38, with vertical flanges 38a. secured to the upright side walls of the car, and to the longitudinal body beams 2 4. These hood coverings likewise have horizontal flanges 38h which extend over and are secured to the side sills 2| (Fig. 3) and further horizontal anges 38o which overlap and rest upon the laterally extending portions of the wing bottom 28, so that the hood coverings entirely cover and close the wheel apertures.

'It is obvious that the invention may be employed in many other ways without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: v

1. In a mine or similar rail car, the combination of car wheels and car axles therefor, a lading body including side and end closure walls, longitudinal side sills extending substantially from end to end of the lading body an-d having portions which are interseoted by the horizontal plane of the Vaxes of the car wheels, a bumper structure rigidly secured with respect to said sills and including a transverse vertical wall spaced from the adjacent end closure wall, and a transverse beam including a vertical wall and a horizontal ange, said transverse beam vertical wall extending above the upper limit of the bumper and forming a part of the end closure wall, and said horizontal flange engaging said bumper transverse vertical wall andl reinforcing it against btunping stresses.

2. In a mine or similar rail car, the combination of car wheels and car axles, a traction truck frame supported by the car axles and including longitudinal side sills, lading bottom means attached to the side sills and comprising a central portion located between the side sills and-'other portions located laterally outside the side sills, said bottom means being located atleast in'part in a horizontal plane below the horizontal plane of the axes of the car wheels, a transverse member at each end of the lading body of the 'car resting upon end portions of said sills and extending laterally beyond the side sills in cantilever fashion, longitudinal angle-form members.

located outside the side sills and attached to the transverse members and extending between Vthe transverse members from end to end without intermediate support, said laterally projecting portions of the lading bottom means being supported on said angle-form members, upstanding lading body side closure walls connected to said angle-form members, end closure'walls, a bumper structure at one end of the car rigidly secured with respect to said sills and including a transverse vertical wall spaced from the adjacent end closure wall, one said transverse end member including a vertical wall and a horizontal flange, said transverse end member vertical wallextending above the upper limit of the bumper and forming a part of the end closure wall, and said horizontal ange engaging said bumper transverse vertical wallv and reinforcing it against bumping stresses. f

3. In a mine or similar rail car, the combina-` tion of car wheels and car axles, a traction truck frame supported by the car axles and including longitudinal side sills, lading bottom means attached to the side sills andcomprising a central portion located between the side sills and other portions located laterally outside the side sills,

said bottom means being located at least in part in a horizontal plane below the horizontal plane of the axes of the car wheels, a transverse member at each end of the lading body of the car resting upon end portions of said sills an-d extend- 1 ing laterally beyond the side sillsVV in cantilever fashion, longitudinal angle-form members located outside the side sills and attached to the transe verse members and extending between the transverse members from end to end without int-erme-diate support, said laterally projecting portions of the'lading bottom means being supported on said angle-form members, upstanding lading body side closure walls connected to said angleform members, end closure walls, a bumper structure at one end of the car rigidly secured with respect to said sills and including a transverse vertical wall spaced from the adjacent end closure wall, one said transverse end' member including a vertical wall and a horizontal flange, and said horizontal flange engaging said bumper transversely vertical, wall and reinforcing it against bumping stresses, v HUGH W. SANFORD. 

